Backspin: His year was slowed by a rib injury that kept him out for two months. Padraig Harrington (2007-08), Tiger Woods (2005-06) and Tom Watson (1982-83) are the only back-to-back Open champions the last 50 years.

World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler was a fountain of introspection Tuesday at his news conference entering the 2025 British Open, calling golf "an unsatisfying venture" and admitting that he often wrestles with motivation.

Open Championship golfers and the British Open favorite to win ahead of the year's final major at Royal Portrush

Scottie Scheffler said on Tuesday he does "not care" about being the tournament favourite as he prepares for his latest tilt at a maiden British Open title this week at Royal Portrush."I could not care any less about being the favourite or not being the favourite,

Scheffler enters this Open Championship as golf's top-ranked player, but his current run can't last forever, writes Michael Rosenberg.

The somewhat contradictory answer was that golf does fulfill Scheffler, along with his family, but that if the game ever affected his role as a husband and father he'd quit on the spot. Family matters the most to him, so he ends up asking himself the same question at tournament after tournament:

Is Scottie Scheffler still the clear No. 1 entering The Open? Is Rory McIlroy ready to win in Northern Ireland?

PORTRUSH, Northern Ireland (AP) — How well do you know British Open history? Try this quiz: b.) He was penalized two shots in the final round for being late to the first tee b.) Christy O’Connor Jr.